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Control apparatus, communication system, control method, program, and computer-readable storage medium

a control apparatus and communication system technology, applied in the direction of instruments, computer security arrangements, transmission, etc., can solve the problems of inability to build a flexible authentication system, authentication end up in failure, and inability to become usabl

Active Publication Date: 2008-08-07
SHARP KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]According to the foregoing arrangement, the operation control means of the control apparatus controls the operation of the imaging apparatus via the network interface. Therefore, the imaging apparatus and the control apparatus that controls the operation of the imaging apparatus can be disposed in separate places. Meanwhile, the authentication information acquisition device is not controlled by the imaging apparatus as has conventionally been done, but is controlled by the device driver means of the control apparatus via the network interface. In this way, the authentication information acquisition device is controlled by the control apparatus separate from the imaging apparatus that processes a specific job. This makes it unnecessary to replace a substrate and ROM of the imaging apparatus in changing the arrangement of the authentication information acquisition device. This also makes it unnecessary to develop a device driver program for use in a special operating system dedicated to a system into which the imaging apparatus is incorporated. Therefore, a flexible authentication system can be built.

Problems solved by technology

Among various apparatuses such as multifunctional apparatuses, there is a multifunctional apparatus that, in order to limit its use by an unintended user such as an outsider, authenticates a user and does not become usable until authentication is completed successfully.
Authentication is completed successfully when the authentication information matches the pre-registered authentication information, and authentication ends up in failure when the authentication information does not match the pre-registered authentication information.
However, the conventional techniques have a problem with their inability to build a flexible authentication system.
However, according to the conventional techniques, an authentication information input device is incorporated into a cash dispenser or a multifunctional apparatus, and a shift to another authentication system is impossible because the authentication information input device is not exchangeable.
This requires time and cost.
Such a problem also occurs, for example, in cases where the data format of an IC card has been changed.

Method used

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  • Control apparatus, communication system, control method, program, and computer-readable storage medium
  • Control apparatus, communication system, control method, program, and computer-readable storage medium
  • Control apparatus, communication system, control method, program, and computer-readable storage medium

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embodiment 1

[0044](Arrangement of a Communication System)

[0045]An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 13. A communication system of the present embodiment authenticates a user with use of an authentication information input device and limits the use of a multifunctional apparatus in accordance with a result of the authentication.

[0046]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a block diagram schematically showing an arrangement of the communication system. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication system 500 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of multifunctional apparatuses (imaging apparatuses) 1a and 1b, a plurality of authentication information input devices (authentication information acquisition devices) 7a and 7b, and a single control server (control apparatus) 2. The communication system 500 is provided with a network (network interface) 400 that enables the apparatuses and devices to communicate with one ...

embodiment 2

[0115]Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 14 through 16. Components identical to those described above in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and will not be described below.

[0116]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a communication system 600 of the present embodiment. The communication system 600 of the present embodiment includes multifunctional apparatuses 1a and 1b, a control server 2′, authentication servers 4a and 4b, authentication information input devices 7a and 7b, and I / F converters 8a and 8b.

[0117]Whereas Embodiment 1 described above is arranged such that the authenticating section 73 of the control server 2 performs a process of authenticating a user, the present embodiment is arranged such that each of the authentication servers 4a and 4b performs the process. Each of the authentication servers includes the same authenticating section 73 and the same user account database as does ...

embodiment 3

[0127]Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Components identical to those described above in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and will not be describe below.

[0128]FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a communication system 700 of the present embodiment. The communication system 700 of the present embodiment includes a single authentication information input device 7a, a single I / F converter 8a, a plurality of (two in this case) of multifunctional apparatuses 1a and 1b, and a control server 2. Authentication information inputted to the authentication information input device 7a is used for permitting the use of both the multifunctional apparatuses 1a and 1b.

[0129]Whereas Embodiment 1 described above is arranged so as to decide, in accordance with an authentication information input device used for inputting authentication information, what multifunctional apparatus becomes avail...

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PUM

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Abstract

A communication system includes a multifunctional apparatus, an authentication information input device, an I / F converter, and a control server. The control server includes an authentication information input device driver for controlling the operation of the authentication information input device via the I / F converter over a network and a multifunctional apparatus control section for controlling operation of the multifunctional apparatus. The authentication information input device driver causes the authentication information input device to acquire authentication information from a user, and receives, via the network, the authentication information acquired by the authentication information input device. Moreover, in cases where an authenticating section of the control server performs an authentication process with use of the authentication information and authentication is completed successfully, the multifunctional apparatus control section permits the use of the multifunctional apparatus. This makes it possible to build a flexible authentication system.

Description

[0001]This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 7496 / 2007 filed in Japan on Jan. 16, 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a control apparatus, connected via a network interface to (i) an imaging apparatus for executing a job including at least one of image formation and image processing and (ii) an authentication information acquisition device for acquiring authentication information from a user, which controls the imaging apparatus and the authentication information acquisition device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Among various apparatuses such as multifunctional apparatuses, there is a multifunctional apparatus that, in order to limit its use by an unintended user such as an outsider, authenticates a user and does not become usable until authentication is completed successfully. In order to authenticate a user, such a multifunc...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H04L9/32G06F21/00G06F21/32G06F21/34
CPCG06F21/34G06F21/608G06F21/83H04L63/08G06F2221/2129G06F2221/2141G06F2221/2105
Inventor FUJITA, FUSAYUKI
Owner SHARP KK
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